“What We Started” Dives Into The History Of Electronic Dance Music

Fresh and never before seen, the city of Miami got the first official & exclusive preview of this year’s (Miami Music Week / Winter Music Conference) movie of the week detailing the path that electronic dance music has experienced, continuing to grow into the massive industry in continues to become.

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Bert Marcus and Cyrus Saidi are seen at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere Q&A on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

What We Started is a critically acclaimed documentary detailing the birth, resurgence and history of dance music while featuring the careers of heavyweight electronic dance music artists, including Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Erick Morillo, Moby, David Guetta, Afrojack, Paul Oakenfold, Seth Troxler, and Tiësto. Russell Faibisch, the co-founder of Ultra Music Festival also shares his story on how the world’s premiere and wholly independent music festival helped shape the dance music scene as it is today. There are multiple cameos from musical superstars, including Usher and Ed Sheeran, who help exemplify the power and reach that electronic dance music has over mainstream music genres.

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: A general view during ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

The stories at the film’s core are those of Carl Cox, one of dance music’s guiding lights, and Martin Garrix, who broke into the Billboard charts with his hit “Animals” in 2013. The former is shown wrapping up a record-setting 15-year residency at Space nightclub in Ibiza, the genre’s spiritual home; the latter is shown preparing for his first performance on the main stage of Ultra Music Festival in Miami.

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Martin Garrix and Charelle Schriek are seen at the ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

What we started is a heartfelt, emotional and historically accurate tale of the misfits and rejects of the world putting together a movement that not only inspired but also encouraged freedom of speech and expression in such a beautiful way. I have seen a lot of dance music films and documentaries but none have ever brought me to tears like this one did. However, for a genre rarely taken seriously enough to be depicted properly by Hollywood (looking at you, “We Are Your Friends”), “What We Started” is a must-view for newer and younger dance music fans. And for those who don’t understand the people on stage “just hitting play” on a laptop, the documentary provides both the history and the modern context needed to make sense of it all.

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Bert Marcus, Oliver Heldens, Cyrus Saidi and Paul Oakenfold are seen at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere after party on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

The documentary premiered on March 23, 2018 at The Regal South Beach during Miami Music Week. Martin Garrix and Carl Cox attended the premiere and did a Q&A session after the showing which had Paul Oakenfold, Afrojack, Oliver Heldens, Paris Hilton & more in attendance. The night could not conclude with out a VIP after party at the rooftop of 1 Hotel South Beach, which featured plenty of ‘who’s who’ artists & industry leaders amongst plenty of dance music fans with surprise performances.

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: A general view during ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Director Bert Marcus, Paris Hilton and Chris Zylka are seen at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere after party on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Bert Marcus and Cyrus Saidi are seen at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere Q&A on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Director Bert Marcus and Carl Cox arrive at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Afrojack arrives at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)

MIAMI, FL – MARCH 22: Carl Cox and Paul Oakenfold are seen at ‘What We Started’ Miami Premiere after party on March 22, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for ‘What We Started’)